Four-wheel drive.



I. L. WARE.

FOUR WHEEL DRH/E.

APPucnrloN msn ocr-16.1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fatemi-.ed Apr. i3, B915.

. L. WARE.

FUR WHEEL DRIVE.

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D21/en for? fvg/y www@ JOSEPH L. WARE, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i lPLtiBltIlttl IDII. T3, llfgllll..

ApplicationI filed (Pctober 16, 1911. Serial No. 655,037.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, JOSEPH L. WARE, of St.Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in F our-VVheel Drives, of which the following is aspecification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a four-wheel drivingmechanism embodying a single differential and a positive direct drivethrough the di'erential to the axle sections, thereby improving theconstruction and reducing the cost and mainte- Inance of four-wheeldrives as' usually constructed.

A further object is to provide a driving mechanism which will relievethe transmission gearing from danger of breakage resulting from thesudden application of 'power to thedriven shafts.

A further Objectis to provide means in connection with the differentialgear effecting the even distribution of the strain, particularly inturning corners.

Other objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing detaileddescription. The invention consists generally in various constructionsand combinations, all, vas hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings formingpart of this specification, Figure 1is a side elevation of a truck with my invention applied thereto, Fig. 2is a plan view of the running gear of the truck, showing the applicationof the four-wheel drive thereto,

ldig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the differential mechanism appliedto the rear axle, Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the antifrictionbearing box between the forward and rear sections of a driven shaft.

lln the drawings, 2 represents the forward axle, and 3 the forwardwheels having a steering rigging 4 and driving connections 5 at each endof the axle 2 with secondaryy or driven shafts 6. This front wheel driveand steering mechanism forms the subjectmatter of a companionapplication herewith and I make no claim to the same'herein. A

7 and 8 represent sections of the rear axle having carrying wheels 9.These vsections are preferably inclosed by sleeves 10 which are pinnedto boxes 11 of a housing 12. Similar sleeves are' provided for theforward. axle. Upon these sleeves suitable springs 13 are lmounted, ,suportin the truck body 14, or in casethe invention is at the forward endsof the reaches, near they forward axle. These reaches and the drivenshafts 6 are sufficiently flexible so that if power is applied verysuddenly to the driving mechanism the reaches will buckle upwardslightly and the shafts will twist suiiiciently to relieve thetransmission mechanism of the extreme strain or shock resulting from atoo sudden application of the power.

The source of motive power inclosed within the hood 18 may be a gasengine of'the usual type lconnected with the forward end of a primary ordriving shaft 19 through a gear box or otherwise. The rear end of thisshaft, as lwell as the shaft 6, has a flattened portion 2O fitting intoa box 2l having threaded sockets'provided with set screws 22. The. innerends of these screws have seats for bearing balls 23 which contact withthe flattened portion 20 of the shaft 6 and `lock nuts 24 mounted 0nthese screws permit their adjustment to take up the wear of the bearingto adjust the bearingi balls in proper position with respect to thebearing surface of thejgshaft. These boxes and antifriction bearirgsallow a sli ht longitudinal movement of the drii'fen sha t to tal@g upthe lengthwise thrust and relieve the shafts and the connectingmechanismof the racking,v

twisting strain incidental to the running of the truck or'car overIrough pavements'or roads. They also compensate,y for the twist` ing ofthe frame and running gear resulting from the turning of the car'onuneven roads.

The box 21`has a hub 25 to receive the squared, forward end of a shaft26. The rear end of this shaft projects into the housing 12 and carriesa pinion 27 meshing with a beveled gear ring 28. This ring incloses acollar 29 having, preferably an annular rib 30 to which the ring 28 issecured. 31 is an axle section between the sections 7 and 8 and in linetherewith and on this section a hub 32 is secured having an annular web33 supporting a series of radiating pins 3d at intervals around itscircumference. There are preferably four-of these pins and acorresponding number of pinions 35 are loosely mounted on these pins andthe outer ends of the lpins are seated within sockets provided in thecollar 29. Hubs 36 are loosely mounted on the axle sections 7 and '8 andhave sockets 37 to receive the squared ends of said axle sections totransmit power thereto, and these hubs vare provided with gears l38having twov sets of teeth 39, one'on each face, the inner set of teethor each gear meshing with the pinions, 34 and forming' therewith adifferential gearing. The edges of the gears are ,provided with 'flanges40 between which the collar 29 is inserted. The driven shafts 6 arearranged .one on each side of the driving shaft and have boxescorresponding to the one described with reference to the primary shaft,which l will indicate by the same reference numeral with fthe additionofthe' exponents a and b.

f The driven shafts also have shaft sectionsv 41 and 42 projecting intothe housing and provided with pinions 43 and 44 meshing respectivelywith the outer teeth vof the gears 38. The shaft sections 26, 4l and 42are in- 'closed within suitable sleeves 45, 46 and 47.A

The hubsuof the ygears 38 are journaled in the boxes 1l and areApreferably provided with anti-friction bearings 48. When power isapplied to the driving 'shaftit is evident that through the gear ringand collar 29 and the 'beveled gears 38 the power will be transmitted tothe axle sections 7 and 8 andl at the same time through the secondary ordriven driven shafts.

From the foregoing it will he noted-.that

` a single-dierentiahgearing is'used andv that an all-shaft driveisprovided throughand by means oJthis gearing tothe sections of theforward yand rear axles.- A positive, direct drive is^thus provided,-themechanism of a four-wheel drive as usually constructed is greatlysimplified and reducedin cest oi manufacture and-maintenance, andprovision is'made/for vpreventing breakage' pr damage of 'thelpaaa'tsffand insuring a dexible driving. me'chanim. while operating.over rough -roadsfor pavementsv or in turning .the machine. y f

in various ways the details oi? construction herein shown may be modiedand still be within the scope of my inventcon.`

i claim as my invention .v l. A iourwhce'l drivecornprising forward andrear axle 'sections,-a sing@ @dierential4 gearing, and a shaft drivingmeans o erating directly through and by means o said gearing for drivingall of said axle sections the sections of one axle being geared directlyto said dierential.

2. A four-wheel drive comprising forward and rear axle sections, adifferential gearing interposed between the sections of one axle, drivenshafts geared to said differential gearing and to the sections of theother axle, and a driving shaft geared to said differential gearing,power being applied to said driven shafts and axle sections directlythrough and by means of said differential.

3. A four-wheel drive comprising rear axle sections and means fordrivingy the same, including a differential gearing, located between`said rear axle sections and geared thereto, irontl axle sections, and

Ashafts for dri-ving the same, said shafts and said rear axle sectionsbeing directly driven by 'the said driving means through and by meansvothe said diiierent-ial geen 1n `four-wheel drive comprising rear axlesections and means for driving the same, including a dierentialgearing,front axle sections, .and shafts for driving the same, said shafts beingdirectly driven by said driving means through and by means of the saiddifferential gearing, and flexible and extensible bearings in 'saidshafts.

5. AV four-wheel drive comprising rear axle sections, a differentialgearing having direct driving connections with said sections,sald-diierentlal gearing lncludmg a pair of' outer beveled gears, adriving shaft geared to said differential between said outer gears,front axle sections, and shafts directly geared to said rbeveled gearsand to said front axle sections for driving he'latter.

6. A four-wheel vdrive com rising rear axle sections, a gear ringconcentric with said. sections, a drive shaft geared to said gear ring,diierential gearing connecting the gear ring with said axle sections,front axle sections, and shafts directly geared to said diierentialgearing and' to ,the front axle sections for driving the latter.

7. A four wheel drive ycomprisinglront and rear. axle sections andshafts for driving the former from the latter, each of said shafts beingcomposed of sections having a universal joint between them, said jointconsisting ofen expanded fiat-sided head and a correspondingly expanded,fiat-sided, fork stra'ddling said head, means for connecting v the headand forli, and. ball bearings dis p posed between adjacent faces ofsaidfhead and forli.

8. le. four-wheel drive comprisinggfront and rear axle sections andshafts for driving the :former from the latter, each lof said shaftsbeing composed `of sections having a .universal ioint between them, saidjoint les Hewlet consisting of an expanded flat-sided head andacorrespondingly expanded, fiat-sided .forkstraddling said head, meansfor con-l necting saidlfheaduand fork, ball bearings disposedbetweenladjacent faces of said head and fork, and .means forindependently adjusting each of said ball bearings.V

9. A four-wheel drive comprising front and rear axlesections and shaftsfor driving the yformer from the latter, each of said shafts beingcomposed of sections having a universal joint between them,y said jointconsisting. of an expanded flat-sided head, a correspondingly-expanded,fiatsided fork straddling said head, means for connecting said head andsaid fork, ball bearings disposed between adjacent faces of the head andfork, and screw members threadedintov the members of said fork,

-each of said screw members having a socket to receive one of said ballbearings.

10. A four-wheel drive comprising front and rear'axle sections andshafts for driving the formerr from the latter, each of said shaftsbeing composed of sections having a universal joint betweeny them, saidjoint comprising an expanded flat-sided head and a correspondinglyexpanded, flat-sided fork straddling said head, a bolt extending throughsaid fork and through an elongated opening -provided in said head, and,.ball bearings disposed between adjacent faces of the head and fork. y

11. A four-wheel drive comprising front c and rear axle sections, and'shafts for driv ing the' former from the latter, each of said shaftsbeing composed of sections having a universal joint between them, saidjoint consisting of an expanded lia -sided head, a correspondinglyexpanded, flat-sided forlry straddling said head,v al bolt extending'through said fork and through an elongated opening rovided in saidheadh ball bearings ldisposed etween adjacent faces of said headl andfork, a portion of said ball bearings being on each side of said-bolt,and means for holding all of said bearings ina plane passing through theaxis of said bolt.

12. A four-wheel drive comprising front and rear axle sections andshafts for driving the former from the latter, each of said sectionsvfrom .said gearing ring inclosing said intermediate member andvconnected therewith, a driving shaft geared at one end to said gearringand having a driving connection with a source of power and drivenshafts geared respectively to said outer gear members and forward axlesections having driving connections with said drive shafts.

14.-. A four-wheel drive-comprising rear axle sections, a di'erentialtransmission gear comprising outer gear members operatively connectedrespectively with said axle sections, an intermediate member having aplurality of pinions loosely mounted thereon and meshing with.. saidouter gear members, a collar inclosingsaid intermediate member andhaving bearings Ion said vouter gear members'and provided with aperipheral gear, a shaft having a ,pinion meshing with said 'collar gearand operatively connected with a-source of power, driven shafts gearedto said `outer gear members respectively, forward axle sections,

and driving connections between rsaid forward axle sections and saiddriven shafts.

15. The combination, with the rear axle.

sections having carrying wheels, of a differential gear having outermembers operatively connected with said sections respectively, anintermediate member meshing with said outer members, a) driving shaftgeared tosaid intermediate` member, sectional driven shafts geared tosaid outer members respectively, means interposed betweenl the sectionsof said driv'en shafts to compensate for end thrust and lateral twistthereon, forward axle sections, and driving connections between saiddriven shafts and said forward axle sections.

16. A two-part axle, a diderential gear comprising outer gear membersoperatively connected with saidaxle sections, an inter-g mediate memberhaving,v loosey pinions. meshing with the teeth of said outer gearmembers, a gear ring inclosing said intermediate member and connectedtherewith, a driving shaft geared at one end to said gear ring andhaving a driving connection with a source of power, and driven sshaftsgeared respectively to said outer gear members.

17.' A four-wheel drive comprising ,for-

ward and rear axle sections,.a differential gearing disposed between therear axle sections, a driving shaft for said gearin driven shafts fordriving said forward ax e ,reach bars connecting the correspondingforward and rear sections, said reach bars and said driven shafts beingflexible, for the purpose speel-l 18. A four-wheel drive comprising rearaxle sections, an intermediate axle section, a diderential hub securedon said interinadiate section, a series of pinions carried by said hub,miter gears having inner and outer toothed faces loosely mounted on saiddriving shaft having a driving connection intermediate section andhaving driving with said differential hu 10 connections with said axlesections, the teeth In witness whereof, I have hereunto set of the innerfaces of saidm-ter gears meshmy hand this 10 day of October 1911.

5 .ling ywith said pim'ons, driven shafts geared JOSEPH L. WARE.

to the teeth of the' outer faces of said miter Witnesses: 4 gears, frontaxle sections having driving GENEVIEVE E. SoRENsEN,

connections with said driven shafts, and a `EDWARD A. PAUL.

